The year in Ars Techni-cky TV, from sci-fi reboots to social media horror

Warning: This story discusses a handful of specific moments from TV in 2017. Though we’ve strived to avoid spoilng anything major, please note this list includes specific references to Stranger Things 2, Mr. Robot S3, Master of None S2, and Last Week Tonight among others.

More and more big players started entering the TV game in 2017: Facebook and Apple began devoting resources to original content, and old media stalwarts such as CBS and Disney decided a standalone streaming service was worth an investment. The downside of this seemingly imminent TV future is obvious: if you think it’s hard to find a show to talk about at work now, wait ’til we all have to subscribe to 15 different services to stay up on the latest darling of TV critics.

Still, the upsides may be worth navigating that headache. There has never been more room and opportunity for a diverse set of creators to get their shot. And that ever-increasing mass of shows to sample means it’s better than ever for fans of certain television niches. Whether you want things that are only teen-focused, tech-focused, or terror-focused, chances are, multiple options exist and a few of them will be well worth a binge-weekend investment.